Flight Instructors now making 5 yr FO pay

[PA44Jockey]

How sad is it that the industry has come to this. With the regionals hiring at 300 Hr TT flight schools have found it difficult to find flight instructors. If you look around now, most places are paying flight instructors between 30K and 55K a year to flight instruct.

Check out the Delta Connection Academy. It is now possible to make more money as a flight instructor than a 5th year FO at most regionals.

 

[GlenQ]

Maybe we'll start seeing all of our wages go up by supply/demand...why is this a bad thing?

I am the only one who thought it was insulting having to live in poverty while having the responsibility of teaching new pilots?

 

[turbodriver]

flight schools have found it difficult to find flight instructors. If you look around now, most places are paying flight instructors between 30K and 55K a year to flight instruct.

Call me when this same scenario happens at the majors.

 

[siucavflight]

I made more instructing for American Flyers then I made as a first year Eagle FO. Second year though is close to 40K so I beat out flyers by 4K.

 

[Salukipilot4590]

I didnt have money instructing and I dont have money now...so no change for me!

 

[Flybywire44]

This is 2nd year pay if you pickup trips left and right at a regional... Bet you end up doing the same amount of work too.

 

[Max Q]

Okay? Go flight instruct...

..no? Oh okay.

-Brett

 

[DrewBlows]

From time to time I get recruiting letters from flight schools soliciting instructors. One recent letter said instructors "could make up to $44,000" a year. When I read a little further you would have to fly every day to come close to that number. No thanks.

 

[Amish RakeFight]

This months Flying magazine had an ad for a school called Oxford or something down in AZ. They're starting at 40K+ with medical, dental, vision, life insurance and a 401K/4% match.

Beats the $1000 a month/zero benefits I used to see as an instructor.

 

[PA44Jockey]

Not to mention the fact that you got to sleep in your own bed every night. Didn't have to gear-up through security everyday.

I remember easily billing well over 40 hours per week while flight instructing. At 20 bones an hour that comes out to be ahead of where I am right now. Without perdiem of course, but you don't need perdiem while being home every night.

I know it wasn't really fun, but the quality of life was definitely better than what you get at most regionals now.

"This is 2nd year pay if you pickup trips left and right at a regional... Bet you end up doing the same amount of work too."

I'll buy that if you looked at 30K, but most of these places are closer to 50K. I am willing to bet their isn't a regional out there that will pay you near 50K on second year pay.

 

[centralpilot]

This months Flying magazine had an ad for a school called Oxford or something down in AZ. They're starting at 40K+ with medical, dental, vision, life insurance and a 401K/4% match.

Beats the $1000 a month/zero benefits I used to see as an instructor.

Yeah, that's about what I made flight instructing. I can't believe it when people tell me they took a pay cut to work at a regional. 1st year pay was sadly double what I made flight instructing. It is nice to hear that supply and demand is starting to fix that situation a bit. Now it just needs to start affecting airline pay.

 

[WestHouston]

A well known flight school here in Houston had their LAST instructor just leave. They have 0 instructors. Every school including mine is hiring.

 

[G2T]

Maybe others had a more relaxing instructing experience. Regardless of the money, my QOL at a regional is WAY better than it was instructing. Sure, I was home every night, but after a 12 hour day of instructing, routinely flying my 8 hours, it didn't matter if I was at home or not, I just went to sleep so I could do it again the next day. No thanks.

 

[A-Track]

I went through around a half dozen instructors just to get my private license. I would fly with them for a few lessons and then they would get picked up by the regionals. sucked for me but good for them.

 

[Kream926]

i used to look forward to going to work as a cfi so i can eat...the popcorn. now i just look in my parents fridge...good times

 

[BLing]

What you guys have failed to mention is that a lot of these big flight schools are now paying for all the CFI ratings. Usually you need an initial CFI and they will pay for the CFII and MEI, but Ive seen a few that will even cover the initial. I know we could have saved a lot of money if this was the case for us!

I know my old school is paying 2 yr instructors $1000/wk and starting guys off between $550 and $750. That sure beats the $400/wk I was getting 2 years ago.

I went back and helped them out for two weeks this past December while home on a rotaion. I was paid $2000 and got my ATP.

 

[Speedtape]

Well! There is always Medical School for all you brainiacs! The idea is to work smarter, not harder!

 

[paid4training]

A well known flight school here in Houston had their LAST instructor just leave. They have 0 instructors. Every school including mine is hiring.

what school is that? mvp or in la porte?